Darren McNamara is a very familiar name in the Drifting world famed for his successful driving in the Prodrift Series in Ireland, D1 Exhibitions in the UK & US & currently Formula D. Darren earned rookie of the year in FD in 2007 & blew is drifting idol's away in D1 Exhibition matches at Irwindale speedway & is currently pushing for the championship in Formula D piloting the Falcon tyres Sponsored Saturn Sky.
The Corolla Brotherhood managed to grab 5 minutes with D-Mac to talk about his love of Corollas & the car that took him around the World:
T.C.B - When did you first start to notice the Corolla & why did it stand out from the crowd for you?
D-Mac - Well as you know Ireland is a big Rallying country and I grew up with my dad having 10 or 20 mk2 escorts and all I wanted for the road when I turned 17 was a mk2 but he wouldn’t leave me so he suggested a AE86 and I had no problem with that I knew they had rally pedigree and later learn they had so much more.
T.C.B - When did you first buy one and how long did it take you to start throwing cash at it?
D-Mac -First 86 I bought when I was 16 I didn’t have much money on an apprentice mechanics wage. I broke a diff and crash it into a bridge haha
T.C.B - Obviously you are famous for your SR’d 86 Levin but what made you decide to make a change from the trusty 16v 4AGE?
D-Mac -Well while building the sr car the plan was to run a fully built 4age but when it came to it I just couldn’t afford it. In fact I actually had a ca18 running in the car first, I decided to go sr though thank god!
T.C.B - What’s your favourite memory during Your Corolla Ownership?
D-Mac -It has to be 2006 at Irwindale at D1. It was so cool to be able to put up such a fight against all the drifters I idolised, it launched my career and I'm very grateful to the little hachi.
T.C.B - You are currently driving the incredible Saturn Sky in Formula D with great results this season, but what keeps your interest in Corolla’s back home when you find yourself driving a 700+bhp monster on a monthly basis in the states?
D-Mac -The corolla will always be my favourite car. I have so many good memories of the 86 and I owe my career to it. It’s also so much fun to drive, you can’t beat a lightweight fr car. The 86 is also a culture thing it’s got a whole community behind it. I guess you could say it’s a way of life
T.C.B - Why do you think the 86 has the appeal it does across the world has and why do you think it has stood the test of time?
D-Mac -Tough question, I do think it has taken over from where the escort left off. It seems that generations have they’re cult cars. The 86 seems to have just come along at the right time for the drift culture and it’s also rare enough to be desirable and have soul unlike those smelly Silvia’s.
T.C.B - The corolla seems to have a “Brotherhood” feel amongst owners, why do you think this is?
D-Mac - I think its cos we've all latched onto and fallen in love so to speak with this car and culture, we always find ourselves coming back to the 86 even after other cars, there is nothing quite like being behind the wheel of one and anyone who has one shares the enthusiasm
Darren has also just announced on Speedhunters.com that he will again be competing in an AE86 in association with Team NFS & Team Falken with a stunning N2 inspired Trueno!
Huge thanks to Darren for taking time out of his busy Formula D schedule to talk corollas with us & The Corolla Brotherhood wish Darren good luck at Las Vegas on August 20th/21st for Formula D round 5! Bring it home dude!
James.
The Corolla Brotherhood managed to grab 5 minutes with D-Mac to talk about his love of Corollas & the car that took him around the World:
T.C.B - When did you first start to notice the Corolla & why did it stand out from the crowd for you?
D-Mac - Well as you know Ireland is a big Rallying country and I grew up with my dad having 10 or 20 mk2 escorts and all I wanted for the road when I turned 17 was a mk2 but he wouldn’t leave me so he suggested a AE86 and I had no problem with that I knew they had rally pedigree and later learn they had so much more.
T.C.B - When did you first buy one and how long did it take you to start throwing cash at it?
D-Mac -First 86 I bought when I was 16 I didn’t have much money on an apprentice mechanics wage. I broke a diff and crash it into a bridge haha
T.C.B - Obviously you are famous for your SR’d 86 Levin but what made you decide to make a change from the trusty 16v 4AGE?
D-Mac -Well while building the sr car the plan was to run a fully built 4age but when it came to it I just couldn’t afford it. In fact I actually had a ca18 running in the car first, I decided to go sr though thank god!
T.C.B - What’s your favourite memory during Your Corolla Ownership?
D-Mac -It has to be 2006 at Irwindale at D1. It was so cool to be able to put up such a fight against all the drifters I idolised, it launched my career and I'm very grateful to the little hachi.
T.C.B - You are currently driving the incredible Saturn Sky in Formula D with great results this season, but what keeps your interest in Corolla’s back home when you find yourself driving a 700+bhp monster on a monthly basis in the states?
D-Mac -The corolla will always be my favourite car. I have so many good memories of the 86 and I owe my career to it. It’s also so much fun to drive, you can’t beat a lightweight fr car. The 86 is also a culture thing it’s got a whole community behind it. I guess you could say it’s a way of life
T.C.B - Why do you think the 86 has the appeal it does across the world has and why do you think it has stood the test of time?
D-Mac -Tough question, I do think it has taken over from where the escort left off. It seems that generations have they’re cult cars. The 86 seems to have just come along at the right time for the drift culture and it’s also rare enough to be desirable and have soul unlike those smelly Silvia’s.
T.C.B - The corolla seems to have a “Brotherhood” feel amongst owners, why do you think this is?
D-Mac - I think its cos we've all latched onto and fallen in love so to speak with this car and culture, we always find ourselves coming back to the 86 even after other cars, there is nothing quite like being behind the wheel of one and anyone who has one shares the enthusiasm
Darren has also just announced on Speedhunters.com that he will again be competing in an AE86 in association with Team NFS & Team Falken with a stunning N2 inspired Trueno!
Huge thanks to Darren for taking time out of his busy Formula D schedule to talk corollas with us & The Corolla Brotherhood wish Darren good luck at Las Vegas on August 20th/21st for Formula D round 5! Bring it home dude!
James.
The Corolla Brotherhood has been a great example if you are interested to see some of them in a while. I am always taking interest to know about such person that had set some examples.
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